a tough decision
by chase88
Summary: a very small relative of a patient makes a difference in the life of those around her and Chase finds himself making a real big decision.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own House

* * *

Chase was in the clinic once again angered by the fact that he could not say no to House to save his life. It seemed that House was out to humiliate him further since the whole Vogler thing. He was really starting to think it was a waste of time working here since his father was now dead and he had nothing more to prove. 

His beeper went off to his dismay and he went to the conference room in a hurry to see what the big emergency was.

"Very funny House," Chase managed trying to catch his breath.

House ignored him and instead tossed him a file.

"Eighty year old decon came in anemic,"House said.

"Probably a defiency," Chase suggested.

"Or blood thinners," Cameron added.

"Okay Cameron do a history and make it quick but efficient. Foreman, go to the house. Chase go talk to the wife," House ordered taking out a magazine that Chase suspected was porn.

"One more thing, the wife is very strict. Hopefully your pretty mouth should help eliminate any problems with her," House added.

Chase nodded not wanting to argue with him. It was better to let him have his own way because he'd win no matter what and it was rather pointless.

So he headed to talk to the wife.

M.d m.d m.d m.d m.d M.d m.d m.d m.d m.d M.d m.d m.d m.d m.d M.d m.d m.d m.d m.d M.d m.d m.d m.d m.d M.d m.d m.d m.d m.d

"You must be the wife," Chase looked for confirmation.

The woman looked at him with a pointed look and he thought that she was rather familiar. He suddenly remembered a woman with startling green eyes and long brown hair. Chase mentally shook his head to clear the image from his mind. He had to question this woman.

"Yes, I'm Mrs. Lovett," the woman replied.

"I'm Dr. Chase and I'd like to know a couple things about your husband," Chase said.

"Like what," She asked narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

It was then that he saw that she wasn't alone and had a little girl with her. The girl had brown hair though it was very messy and looked like it hadn't been washed for a little while now. It was the startling baby blue green eyes that got him.

"Was he on any medication, drugs, blood thinners, or something new that he hadn't been exposed to," Chase asked.

"No to everything, for god's sake he didn't even smoke," Mrs. Lovett snapped.

Chase was momentarily distracted as he watched the little girl. She in turn was looking anywhere but the Aussie. Mrs. Lovett grabbed the little toddler by the hand and she broke into tears as she was scolded for it. Chase felt sorry as Mrs. Lovett made the toddler walk all the way down the hall and probably to the husband's room without getting a moments rest. She didn't deserve that, Chase thought.

He sighed.

This was going to be a rough day.

M.d m.d m.d m.d m.d M.d m.d m.d m.d m.d M.d m.d m.d m.d m.d M.d m.d m.d m.d m.d M.d m.d m.d m.d m.d M.d m.d m.d m.d m.d

Chase was busy thinking about the girl he had dated in medical school who had green eyes and a remarkable singing voice. That had been almost three years ago two months from now. He now began to wonder if that was why she left him in the beginning and felt a sinking feeling. He would have taken care of the child if she told him and that was a definite if. He needed to know though. Before he could continue with his thoughts, House spoke.

"Did you hear wombat, the decon has benzene poisoning from a leaking pipe and that caused the aplastic anemia," House replied harshly.

"The wife was fine but the toddler looked kinda pale," Chase acknowledged.

"It's probably something different," Cameron started.

Chase suddenly grabbed a file and read the name on it. 'Evee Lovett' it read and Chase quickly went out the room thinking of an excuse to get the little girl away from Mrs. Lovett so he could test his theory.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hello Mrs. Lovett," Chase greeted when he found her in the room with her husband.

The little girl was sucking her thumb and sitting on a chair to the corner. No doubt to Chase's dismay that she was trying to stay unoticed by everybody. He felt sorry for her having to watch over herself because toddlers should have people to pretect them, someone that they could trust.

"What is it this time," Mrs. Lovett asked annoyed.

"Your name is Evee Lovett right," Chase asked.

"Yeah," Mrs. Lovett replied tightlipped.

"I'm just making sure, okay," Chase pretended to do just that and then pretended to spot the little girl on the spot.

He pointed towards her and asked, "What's her name?"

"Madison Lynn Lovett," Mrs. Lovett answered with resentment.

"She doesn't look so good, I'm going to have to check her out okay," Chase instructed her.

"Fine, the brat was irritating George anyway," she obligued.

Chase nodded and went over to the little girl. Madison didn't hold eye contact with him and instead looked out the window. Seeing what was so interesting about the window, he found nothing so he wondered why she'd look there so intently, but deep down he knew.

"Is she autistic," he asked just to be sure.

"No, just really dumb," Mrs. Lovett answered.

"So what's wrong with my husband," she asked hesitantly.

"It's aplastic anemia, so an oncologist is going to be on the case," Chase explained as Madison looked at the floor.

Chase would have thought she was pouting had she been sulking. Mrs. Lovett gasped and looked truly scared, although she gave no thought to the toddler who was no doubt under weight and had some type of virus. He couldn't believe someone would do that to a child but then no one could explain the big mystery of why people do what they do.

"Is he going to die," Mrs. Lovett asked.

"It's likely but Dr. Wilson is on the case and he's a great doctor," Chase added.

"Is she your daughter," Chase asked as an afterthought.

"No my stupid grandaughter that is a terrible burden left by my daughter who was also stupid," Mrs. Lovett shrieked.

Chase nodded and went to get the toddler's small hand, but she let out a wail and edged back. Mrs. Lovett sighed and picked Madison up by her arm and handed her to Chase. He was a little suprised by the maltreatment but didn't hesitate to take her out of the room.

* * *

House stopped Chase as he was heading towards the pediatrics unit. He

was suprised when he took off with short notice and now he had a little child in his arms. He smiled down at her and then settled on Chase who looked annoyed at being delayed.

"Your kidknapping now, I know I taught you how to do B&E's but don't you think this is a little too far," he asked the Aussie.

"House, if you must know, she needs a pediatrician and I'm not going to let her stay where her grandmother will hurt her," Chase said.

"Cameron must be getting to you because you have never cared for a kid's well being before," House remarked making a funny face.

Madison was now content on being held by Chase, but the funny face made her brake into tears. House backed up a bit, he hated whiny kids and that kid there was definately defined in that category. Chase rolled his eyes at House's attitude.

"She's not a brat, in fact you could have Cameron call social services if you want because I've seen obvious signs of it," Chase explained as Madison burrowed her face into his shoulder.

"Fine, we'll get a social worker on it, but at the mean time take whinny to the baby doctor," House said taking another look at the toddler before leaving.

"He didn't mean it, Madison-you don't mind if I call you Maddie Lynn do ya," Chase asked when House left.

Madison looked up at him and nodded before putting a thumb in her mouth.

Chase went over to the nurse on call and asked, " Is Dr. Sela available?"

Chase wasn't being picky on who would look over her, it was the fact that Dr. Sela was good with kids who were neglected or abused and knew the signs well. Since it was a suspected case, she would be perfect.

Dr. Sela came and couldn't hide the smile from her face. It was very hard to picture Chase actually being with a child but this was priceless and she wished she had her camera with her. The girl was laying her head against his shoulder and holding a fist full of his lab coat in her hand.

"Dr. Chase what have you got yourself into," she asked.

"Your specialty area," Chase said handing her over.

"Nooooooooo,"Maddie Lynn cried holding onto Chase.

"She's latched onto to you," Dr. Sela commented with a smile.

"Please, I'll be back with some ice cream," Chase promised.

Maddie Lynn let go hesitantly and pouted a little at the prospect of being without the nice man doctor for some time. Dr. Sela gave Chase a knowing smirk and he rolled his eyes. It would be bad enough when his collegues found out so he didn't need this doctor to act like this.

"I'll be back Maddie Lynn, I promise," Chase said before he left.

* * *

Cameron went over to House who was playing his game boy at his desk. She had called Social Services like House had asked, but she still didn't know why and that was just annoying.

"House why did I have to call Social Services, did the guy beat his wife or the other way around," she asked him annoyingly.

"No they beat their little toddler grandaughter who Chase has gotten close to," House answered truthfully.

"Really," Cameron asked in disbelief.

"No I made it all up because I'm bored, we have no case, Foreman is with his little bunny cakes, or Chase isn't around to mock. Of course I wouldn't make that up, it's too serious," House added as an after thought.

"What House," Foreman heard the part about him and wasn't happy about it.

"Never mind, Chase is helping a little kid who was hit by grandma," House replied returning back to his game boy.

Both collegues rolled their eyes.

* * *

Chase looked at the birth certificate in disbelief. It was crazy but Maddie Lynn Lovett was Madison Lynn Chase on the birth certificate. The mother was also someone he had dated in med school, but he hadn't known she had had a kid. She had left him for unknown reason and he hadn't known why but now he wondered if it was because of the fact that she had became pregnant. Why she hadn't told him was what he would like to know but he didn't know if she was alive or dead, given the fact that Maddie Lynn was raised by her grand parents from birth it seemed.

He flinched when he realized what the toddler must have went through for her short life and the fact that she seemed to be just fine with things the way they were and fled once things got complicated. There then came the real tough decision of whether to raise her or not. Could he do it or would he be worse than her grandmother was? All these thoughts went through his mind as he went back to the pediatrics unit. Maddie Lynn sat up and waited patiently for him. He smiled and then realized he owed her icecream so he quickly went to the cafeteria to get it and then made it back to see her sort of loose her smile at first but then it brightened.

"Here ya go Maddie Lynn," he put it on the tray for her and watched as she made a sloppy mess.

"Here," Chase commented wiping her face.

"Let's get you a bath," he said once she once finished.

Maddie Lynn must have forgotten all of her fear because she shook her head and said, "No go, No go!"

"You could play," Chase added hopefully.

Maddie Lynn seemed to think it through and then she crossed her arms and gave him a look that he knew meant no.

This was going to be hard, Chase thought as he picked her up and suprisingly she didn't wail.


	3. Chapter 3

Chase came back to the conference room after giving Maddie Lynn a bath in which the girl was allowed to play with a cup and stay in there as long as she wanted. She even laughed doubly hard when she poured a cup of soupy water on Chase's head thinking it was funny. He didn't mind and even joined in at his own account. He then got her out and wrapped a towel around her. The toddler didn't mind when he put her hair up in a small pony tail or when he dressed her in a gown. She was now clean and looked like how a two in a half year old should look like. Her hair was curly on the bottom and the top was in a pony tail in a traditional fountain type hair do.

His only conern was that when he seen what looked like a burn mark on her ankle, she and screamed, cried and wailed until he stopped asking who it was that did that. It was apparent that her grandparents had put a toll on her emotional and even mental state as well as physical. He just hoped she wasn't abused in other ways.

Cameron suprised him by getting his attention by a small 'hmph'. Chase turned around to see her and he wished now that he had stayed in Maddie Lynn's room. His collegue wasn't above asking him all sorts of questions until he finally gave in and answered them so she'd leave him alone, but not this time. This was going to keep secret no matter what unless he decided to let them know.

"What do you want Cameron," Chase finally asked.

"What's the deal with social sevices,"She asked.

Foreman was there listening to the exchange curiously.

Chase now thought it was better than never and only told them the obvious abuse part.Cameron as expected, looked sad and apolgetic because she couldn't stand child abusers. Foreman just remained stone faced and expressionless until Chase finished explaining the whole story or so Chase told them was it. They had no business knowing the last part he had just found out and he wasn't going to tell them.

"She's looking for the kid," Foreman finally said.

Cameron looked at both her co workers in alarm that Chase rolled his eyes and got up.

"What are you doing," she asked.

Foreman stood up too.

"Someone has got to explain something to her," Chase answered.

Cameron nodded.

"What do I tell the social worker when she gets here," she asked.

"That a Madd-Madison Lovett is the child's name and she's in pediatrics," Chase replied.

Cameron and Foreman shared a look.

* * *

House took in Evee and knew why Chase had rescued the kid from her. The woman looked super angry and he could tell that anything could set her off. Why he was telling the patient that her husband was dieing when usually it was his coworkers was beyond him. Maybe it was that he wanted to know why Chase took the kid. He felt Evee knew something.

"So why is my grandaughter in the pediatrics agian," Evee asked.

"Because she is very sick," House answered.

"None sense, she's just stupid," Evee snapped.

House had a sudden urge to hit the woman with his cane. Not in all his life had he ever called a child stupid or unworthy. She didn't call the kid unworthy but she had unknowingly or knowingly inplied it, he wasnt' sure which.

"The kid is there for observation," House answered.

"I don't care, she is a bad egg. I should have killed my daughter for going to Australia and having a relationship with a stupid Aussie," Evee screamed.

A lightbulb clicked in House's head.

"Is this certain Aussie blond," House asked.

"Yeah why," Evee asked.

"Excuse me while I get a consult," House said.

"For my husband," Evee asked hopefully.

House agian had to resist the temptation of hitting her with his cane.

"No for the kid, what's-her-name," House replied.

"Madison," Evee answered indifferently.

House nodded.

He finally realized why his young coworker was acting so strangely, now he had to confront him.


	4. Chapter 4

Chase smiled down at the little girl. She made him unusually happy and he didn't want it to end, but he didn't think he could take care of her. She needed someone that was ready to have children and a place where there were both parents. The social worker smiled falsely to the little girl and held out her hands.

Maddie shook her head and hid behind Chase. She didn't want to leave this nice man and be with that stranger. She was scared until Chase told her everything was fine and that she would be happy where she was going. Maddie didn't think so. Gramma and grampa told her that all the time before they whacked her with a broom or burned her with a cigarette. She was not certainly going to be fine.

Chase didn't seem mad at all and that was what Maddie liked. That he'd be patient with her even though she refused to do something. He dressed her up and made her pretty too. Her little brain couldn't comprehend much, but she knew that she wanted to be with someone nice and that was him.

"Pwease," Maddie cried.

"Maddie," Chase said going to her level. "Sometimes you will be scared but remember, you are also brave."

"Bye," Maddie said sadly.

As Chase watche her go, House came beside him. Chase couldn't take House right now so he turned to leave, he stopped him.

"So that's it, your just going to let her leave," House asked.

"What do you want me to do," Chase said trying to get past him.

"You two are happy together. I'd think that you'd want to keep your own blood," House said.

"That's not the point, what the point is-wait how d'you know about my daughter," Chase asked.

House paused for dramatic effect.

"I talked to the grandma before she went to jail," House replied. "But that is not the issue. I think you should do some serious thinking really quick. Either you take her and be happy for years to come or you don't and you will both be miserable and when she's sixteen, she'll hate you. Besides I'm the only one allowed to be miserable," House added.

Chase did what was so out of character for him and hugged him. Both looked shocked but Chase recovered first to go over to the social worker.

"Hi, what's up," she asked.

"I've got to talk..." Chase said.

* * *

A/N: I'm not going to give away what happens. Please review and tell me how you like it. Depending on the reviews, I will do a sequel which takes place after this, but until then, it will be you's imagination 


End file.
